The Mechatrolink Members Association (MMA) reached a membership of 900 companies, including 50 in North America. Mechatrolink is an industrial network optimized for motion control.
MMA is an independent, non-profit organization that makes Mechatrolink specifications and operating parameters available to all. The organization also works to ensure that products labeled as MMA-compatible meet the relevant specifications.
Mechatrolink connects devices such as servo motors, servo amps and I/O to each other and to motion controllers such as PLCs, PACs and other motion controllers. The standard is available in both RS-485 and Ethernet versions, operates at speeds up to 100 Mbps, and can support up to 62 simultaneous devices.
“Mechatrolink is the most widely used motion control network in Asia,” said Derek Lee, a representative of MMA North America. “It’s rapidly reaching the point where, to sell machine controls and factory automation into the Asian market, a company’s best approach is to use Mechatrolink.”
North American members include Cleveland Motion Controls, National Instruments, Manufacturing Data Systems, Phoenix Contact, Red Lion Controls, Texas Instruments, Turck, Yaskawa and others.
Since it was established about 20 years ago, more than 2 million Mechatrolink devices have been shipped, and more than 300 different products have be certified to Mechatrolink specifications. Mechatrolink is in the process of becoming an official international IEC standard for industrial communication networks.
